Guinea Pig
by idjitsandpie
Summary: Steve was never meant to come in contact with this energy. Now that he has, he is 6 years old, and doesn't know who all of these superheroes are. All he wants is his mom and Bucky. It's up to the team to get him back to normal. Kid!fic Steve. Gen.
1. Prologue

A/N: I wrote this for a prompt on avengerkink and thought to post it here. I hope you enjoy.

/ **prologue** /

Steve is helping getting victims out of the underground lair, not even paying attention to the continuing hum of the machine across the room. His main focus - as always - is to get these poor women and children out of this hell hole. Steve doesn't understand what experimentation went on here but everyone seems to be withering, with saggy, greyish skin. Even the young ones haven't escaped such fate.

With being the victims of malnutrition it was easy to carry them to the door and send them down the hall to Natasha. The others were taking care of the powerful, crazed scientist whom no one could stop until they came along. He had built himself crazy armor but Steve is sure Iron Man is more than a match for him.

He ushers the last of the women out and that is when he notices his ears are ringing. He turns around to observe the machine in the corner that is humming and it appears to be giving off a lot of energy. Steve isn't quite sure what it is - it's cylindrical and appears to be metal - but he knows it isn't good news. Not at all.

Steve isn't sure how long he stares at it. It's entrancing. The hum, the faint light. The _everything_.

Cap become so hypnotized that he doesn't even re-act with his shield when the boom happens.

-

Natasha is down the hall helping escort victims out, leading them in the right direction. She's at the door leading outside when all of a sudden a reverberating BOOM goes off and the spy only contains her composure long enough to lead the woman to safety before she darts off back down the long stretch of white hallway. She doesn't respond to Clint who was on the rooftop watching out for stray apprentices who haven't shown their ugly mugs yet.

"Steve!" Natasha shouts, her voice tinged with panic.

For an explosion there seems to be nothing broken. Natasha doesn't step on any broken glass nor are any doors she passes un-hinged. Did something malfunction? And more importantly was the Cap alright?

The last door on the right is open and she has her gun pulled out of her it's holster. Her expert eyes scan the room and she slowly enters. Natasha observes a metal cylinder at the corner of the room but she isn't sure what it's doing there. It's basically a nothing. There are gurneys and tables with vicious instruments near it. What purpose could that have?

What she doesn't see is Cap.

"Steve?"

"Ma'am?" says a tiny voice.

Natasha had been looking at eye level. Steve is taller than her, she expected him to be kneeling with his shield held out in front of him. But there's a kid who pops out from behind the cylinder. He has Cap's tights tied around his waist and upper legs as some sort of makeshift pants to cover himself. He looks to be about 6.

Gold hair. Big blue eyes.

No. _No._

"Ma'am, where's Bucky? We were supposed to play today," the child says. His eyes look toward her gun and he narrows his eyes, inching back behind his protection.

Natasha can't help but have her mouth wide open. She quickly regains composure and puts her gun back in her holster. The woman kneels down with her hands held up up, a sign of peace.

"I'm here to help, Steve," she says carefully. "Do you know who I am?"

His eyes widen and he asks, "Are you with the army?"

She smirks. "Sort of."

"Which side?"

"America."

Steve smiles and walks up to her. He has a big blush spreading across his face. "Sorry ma'am I don't know where my clothes went. I saw a shirt but . . . it was too big for me it went on the ground. Gettin' clothes dirty ain't right."

"We'll get you some new ones I promise. Come with me."

"What 'bout Bucky? I don't want him to get lost without me," Steve says. He scours the room with distrustful eyes. "This is a weird place. I don't like it."

Natasha tries to steer the conversation away from Bucky. Steve doesn't appear to have any memories beyond being this age. It would be unfair to shove all of this on him so soon . . . but going outside is going to be a shock. How should she explain this?

"Steve," she says, gaining his attention. "When we go outside you might see some weird things. Things you've never seen before. But you're going to be okay."

Natasha pauses. She doesn't know how they'll get out of this mess.

"You're going to be okay."


	2. Chapter 1

_a big thank you everyone for your reviews/favs/alerts_

/ **chapter one **/

At the Stark Tower they've given Steve his own room with next to no electronics. He seems to be frightened all of these flashing lights, loud cars, and when Tony turned up in his Iron Man suit he lost all color.

The only time he really spoke was when Tony hissed, "God dammit." upon seeing him the first time.

"Sir you shouldn't say that. Taking the Lords name in vain is bad," Steve responded, sounding awfully brave for a small 6 year old facing down an unknown man-thing (he wasn't sure what to call him).

Tony only rolled his eyes.

"So what are you saying happened?" Tony said to Natasha again.

"I've told you three times," she says crossing her arms, a little snippy. But given the situation it isn't exactly time for feeling at peace. "I heard an explosion and I ran down the hall. Nothing was affected at all."

"I didn't see the building shake," Clint adds. "You would think turning back time would atleast merit a bad Cher song."

"I'd like to take a chance to look at him," Bruce speaks up. Everyone looks at him and he's quick to add, "There has to be something chemical going on. Captain America was created, correct? How did the explosion mess with what the serum did to his body? And I've seen what Dr. Guaem has done to those other people. He was manipulating cells for either aging or de-aging. Badly, I might add."

"I cannot fathom how this has taken place," Thor chimes in. He seems astounded at the change. "I've never witnessed someone turn back into a child. Midguard is a stranger place at times."

The teams all looks uncomfortable. None save Bruce have specifically dealt with children and that is only when he was treating them for disease. Tony suggested since Natasha is female she should have a built-in mothering instinct and she told him where he could build his own in.

"He's in his room trying not to shit his new pants," Tony says to Bruce, pouring himself a drink. "I would shit my pants too if I saw a big iron suit land in front of me and all I knew was a pound of bacon costing fifty two cents." Clint throws Tony a strange look. "What? I was curious why Steve threw such a huge fit over how much breakfast costs."

Bruce decides to take this moment to go visit Steve. He takes the elevator up a floor (they didn't want him too far away) and goes to the plain room. Steve is sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, looking like the lost child he currently is. If not having any previous memories is true he would believe he's still in 1926, where front-engine cars still reign and there are no flying superheroes. There are no superheroes at all.

"Hey Steve," Bruce says. Steve slowly looks up at him, confusion blatant in his eyes. But his jaw is clenched as though he's trying to stop himself from crying. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know where I am," the child responds. "And I need to be with my mother. Father died only a few months ago and she needs me."

The Doctor doesn't know how to respond. He sets down his test tubes & butterfly needles which Steve gives a wary look.

He decides to go the safer route since Steve has had so much shock already. Hopefully they can cure this so they aren't dancing around his questions any more. "I think you're where you need to be, you shouldn't worry yourself about your mother. Things'll turn out okay."

Steve looks back at the floor again. "Who're you, sir?"

"I'm Dr. Banner which is why I have medical supplies with me. You can call me Bruce if you like."

"Not 'pposed to call adults by their first names." He sounds as though he's been lectured about it before.

"I'm giving you permission," Bruce says, picking up his supplies once again and taking a seat. As he readies the needle he tries to distract the six year old with small talk. "So what are your favorite things to do?"

"I like drawing."

"Maybe you could draw me a picture sometime. What do you like to draw?"

"People. Mother says I'm good but I dunno. She's always says that."

"Thats a mom for ya," Bruce says. He shows Steve the needle and the boy isn't sure what to do. "This may sting a little bit but I'm going to put this into your arm, Steve. It'll take out a little bit of blood-"

"What? Why!" Steve sounds very alarmed. "If I bleed I get a bandage! Why would I wanna bleed on purpose?"

"I'll make it stop with a bandage," promises the man with what he hopes is a comforting smile. "It's for testing to make sure you're okay. We all have your best interest in mind, remember that for me okay? You're brave Steve you can do this."

"I am brave." Steve clenches his jaw once again. "So what do I do? Am I sick?"

Bruce pauses. "Kind of. We're working on helping you is all. Anyway, stick out your arm straight with your fist clenched. I'll put this band around your arm so your veins stick up. See how neat that is, all of those blue lines?"

Steve makes an 'o' with his mouth then smiles. "There's a lot!"

"Now concentrate on those while I draw blood."

Bruce doesn't hear a peep out of the brave soldier to be as he draws blood.

/

"What do you have for us?" Tony questions, tossing a small ball from hand to hand. "J.A.R.V.I.S, get this man something to eat, would you? I don't think he's eaten since Pangaea separated."

"What would you like to eat, Dr. Banner?"

"Nothing, no thank you." Bruce still thought it weird to talk to thin air but he was reassured J.A.R.V.I.S is a real thing. Robot. Something. He doesn't even look up from the microscope. "I'm concentrating and trying to figure out how the hell he isn't howling in pain."

Tony slips into a more scientific mind-set setting more banter away for later. "What do you mean?" He makes his way over to the microscope where he takes his turn to peer at the blood sample. "Holy-"

"Yup," Bruce agrees. "His cells are literally fighting each other."

The billionaire pulls back, unsure of what he just saw. Bruce continues with, "It has to be the super-serum fighting off whatever that explosion did. That may be the only thing keeping him from turning into what those people we saved were."

"I think Dr. Guaem may have finally succeeded in what he wanted to do. All he had to do was have a super soldier."

Bruce taps his glasses nervously on his palm. He doesn't want to suggest this next step because he doesn't want that twisted human to know his experiment finally succeeded. Besides, he was solely experimenting on reversing age and to their knowledge had never done it before. There were no apparent plans to get the humans to get back to their original age.

But Steve isn't a normal human although he appears like one.

"We should ask him if he had any ideas on how to get someone back to their original age."

"You think that he'll tell us, even if he does know something? Not for free," Tony snorts.

"It's worth a shot for Steve's sake." Bruce picks up the papers of scribbles he's been making for the last hour then stops as he realizes they probably won't let him into S.H.I.E.L.D central. He's not particularly welcome and he doesn't really blame them. He hands the papers off to Tony instead. "When you talk to him try to feed his ego. It may loosen him up a bit."

"I don't think two big egos in the room could fit. But I know some people who would be more than willing to do it."


	3. Chapter 2

**thanks so much for everyone's continued reviews/favs/alerts, they let me know how I'm doing!**

/ chapter three/

Steve doesn't understand why this man talks so strange. Or why he's wearing a red cape. He isn't going to be rude of course, and he knows his staring would be considered just that, if the man didn't appear so amused. The six year old goes back to his paper and pencil on the desk. He isn't sure what to draw yet.

"Does your mind not flow freely when you take pencil to paper?"

Steve blinks at Thor.

"I mean to say when you start making lines there shall be a picture forming in your mind. You don't need to stare at your paper until a complete image comes."

Thor finds Steve to be only a much younger, inexperienced version of himself. He has the same sense of honesty & morality as Captain America but it's more toned down. This child isn't so sure of his place yet and it's only more confusing by being thrust back (or forward as it appears to him) in time.

The young boy seems to take Thors advice and starts making what appear to be insignificant lines which won't make up anything. But after a while a face starts to form. He's surprisingly good for being so young.

"Who is it you are drawing?" Thor questions.

Steve looks at the paper with a confused expression. The features are somewhat distorted - he is only six, after all - but the demi-god can tell it's of a woman with short hair, bright eyes and is wearing an army uniform.

"I don't know," Steve whispers.

There's a sudden knock on the door which Thor answers. Clint and Natasha stand there motioning for him to step out for a second. He leaves the door open a crack so as not to alarm Steve. He's voiced he doesn't want to be alone, that things are too odd right now.

"Is there new information to be known?"

"That's what Nat and I are going to go find out. We can trick the doctor into talking about his creepy experiments."

"I wanted to see how Steve is doing," Natasha admits. "It isn't every day someone gets to be a literal kid again."

"He seems to be content drawing at this moment. If strange behaviors are observed I will alert you all."

The marksman and spy take their leave hoping to gain information to help. But it's going to be very difficult to get information out of the person who has shown no mercy to others. Natasha is already piecing together a plausible plan as they leave the building.

Dr. Guaem is all too excited to see his visitors as they take seats in front of him. He has a touch of madness in his gleeful grin but he doesn't care how he appears. It's not as though he's scaring them any, they stare at him with blank faces, arms crossed. This is an interrogation and the Doctor is looking forward to playing games.

"What is it?" He asks, looking at Clint for direction. "You must want something if you've come aaall this way to visit me."

"We weren't that far away don't flatter yourself too much," Clint scoffs.

Natasha throws him a look and his eyes fall to the table immediately. Dr. Guaem looks at the red-headed young lady with curiosity.

"You seem to have control, excuse me. I thought this man would be my interrogator."

"I'm not here to interrogate you," Natasha says, leaning forward with what he sees as genuine interest. "I want to know more about your experiments. How they worked and what you planned to do. It's quite amazing, what you've accomplished."

Clint glances up to see how things are going. It appears that even though he is a very intelligent scientist he can't tell he's being played. One compliment from a pretty woman and he starts boasting about how he wanted to reverse age, figuring if he could reverse age, he could eventually figure out how to make time stop for the human body. He very well couldn't perform this within the scientific community, what with their code of ethics, so he branched off and collected guinea pigs of all sorts to experiment on.

"So what would you have done if you had succeeded in making someone young? Would they age?" questions Natasha, sounding somewhat impassive so as not to clue in this is the most important part of the "interview".

Dr. Guaem chuckles. "Perhaps, perhaps not. I needed someone not to die or wither away first. My specimens couldn't quite handle all of the blasts."

"I saw the cylinder. Is that what you used on them?"

"It's the most important part of the process. A direct blast of energy which changes humans at a cellular level." The man dims greatly, apparently not proud of how he couldn't get it to work properly. He sneers at Natasha who has a cold expression on her face, "So tell me who's been compromised."

"I don't know what you mean," she flatly responds. Clint doesn't even flinch at the Doctors words. Giving a sign they have been compromised would be fatal.

"You damn well know what I mean," he raises his voice with every syllable. The only thing keeping him in his chair are the chains. "I know you two don't work here. You were at the site, getting my guinea pigs out. They'll all die, by the way, there's no use in trying to save them."

"The least we can do is give them peace before they pass," Clint gruffly says.

"So the only reason you could have come here is if one of your own was in trouble. Did they get too close to the generator, hm? Are they on their death bed?"

There's no expression to be had on either of his interrogators faces. Suddenly, it hits the Doctor like a bolt of lightning.

"It worked," he laughs insanely. "It worked! I succeeded! I must get a hold of this person and find out what makes them so . . . special."

"We're done here." Natasha stands up. The smile on this mans wretched face is too much to look at right now. She can't imagine what Dr. Guaem would do to Steve - a six year old child currently - if he were to get his hands on him. "We will be back."

"Oh do. Do come back! I want to hear if my best guinea pig still lives through the next few days! Record his progress, get blood samples, skin samples, do every test you can think o-"

They're out of the room before he can finish his mad ravings.

/

Over the next few days Fury does become aware of their situation and says he will do his best to get information out of Guaem. He offers to have someone from S.H.I.E.L.D watch over Steve if the team should happen to take leave but Tony instantly says no.

"One of us will be with him. I don't think he'd take well to new people."

Tony also tries to slowly introduce Steve to new things. The kid has to eat so he shows him how to work the microwave to heat up soup. He also gets him a steady stool he can stand on it to work everything since the counters are a little bit too high.

On the fourth day he shows him the amazing view from Stark Tower which boggles Steve so much he stands there for almost ten minutes watching cars fly by and people walking.

This is when Steve says, "I'm not in 1926."

It isn't a question, it's is a statement. And his tone leaves no room for coddling him with lies. It's actually something Tony appreciates because he didn't want to have to keep on dancing around this issue. It's much more of a pain than it sounds.

"No. You're not."

Tony waits for a few beats before adding, "But being here isn't bad, Steve. This is all new to you but it isn't anything you can't handle."

He expects inquiries of "how did I get here?" "can I go back home?" and such but nothing comes out of the young boy for a minute.

"I miss Bucky," is all he says, his hands balling up at his sides.

The superhero can only pray he doesn't start crying. He's never really dealt with kids, much less crying kids. And although he's a much smaller, childish version of Steve this is still Steve. He's never much of a huggy type of person. But perhaps six year old Steve is. Fortunately enough Steve doesn't start to cry. He only stares out at the street but not really looking at anything. Empty.

"C'mon buddy I'll get you some ice cream. It's a cure-all," he offers, putting a hand at his neck and guiding him towards the couch. "J.A.R.V.I.S do we still have vanilla left?"

"No sir. Ms. Potts finished it. But we do have mint in stock."

Tony pats couch. "Sit here and I'll get you some. I'm using you as an excuse to have some too. Pepper owes me for the vanilla."

When Tony comes back holding two bowls of ice cream he can see Steve's shoulders are shaking. His hands are gripping the edge of the couch, his head hung low, and it doesn't seem like he's registering Tony's incoming footsteps at all.

"Steve? Are you in pain?"

Steve shakes his head quickly.

Tony sets the bowls on the coffee table in front of them. He takes a seat next to the blonde, unsure of what to say next. There's really nothing he can say to take away the pain of realizing all you've ever known is gone, you're in a strange new world, with not a single connection left in the world. Older Steve had taken it much more gracefully (after causing a scene, but then again, circumstances). But being a kid . . .

"Can men cry here?" his voice is shaky.

Ah, that's the problem.

"Yeah happens all the time. You'll get girls that way too. They like a sensitive guy."

That's when a few tears start dripping onto Steve's pants legs and he crumples in half. Tony expected the stress to get him sooner or later although it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. He reaches an arm around the boy's shaking shoulders and hopes having someone here, who in his eyes has helped him the last few days, eases what is a devastating blow.


	4. Chapter 3

/ **chapter three **/

Bruce shares his findings with the team after Steve is put to bed. His conclusion is the while the serum is fighting off the concentration of altering radiation, the radiation seems to be at least as strong and is putting up a fight. Radiation is the only word Bruce can seem to find to describe what Steve was exposed to. He isn't sure how this is happening since the super serum is never supposed to be compromised. The good thing is it's the what is keeping him alive.

"For now," Bruce weakly ends his evaluation.

There isn't much any of the team can say. They're emotionally drained and beyond frustrated. Tony is doing his best by distracting himself with some alcohol. Thor looks out the window and up to the sky, as though asking for direction from home. Natasha sits on the couch staring at the floor with a blank expression. Her hands balled up into fists on her lap betray her non-emotional demeanor. Clint sits next to her with a bowl of salad that he doesn't feel like eating so much any more.

"This situation does not call for surrender," Thor says adamantly. "We've yet to reach the end."

"No we aren't giving up," responds Clint, running a hand through his hair, a subtle sign of frustration. "But I don't know what to do. We told that bastard we'd be back but short of torturing him - which may or may not work - or giving him information about Steve we aren't going to get anything out of him."

"I've tried to manipulate him. Turns out he knew what was happening all along," says the Russian spy. Natasha's annoyance comes through in her tone because she was unable to get information out of someone who could save her friends life. She outsmarted a goddamn demi-god! It only adds fuel to the fire; her need to wring him dry becomes much greater than before.

Clint gives her a comforting pat on her knee.

"Sir, there's an incoming call from S.H.I.E.L.D," J.A.R.V.I.S says, breaking their moment of heavy silence. "I believe it is Sgt. Fury on the phone for a group call. He says it's urgent."

All of the Avengers come gathering around Tony's phone which he puts on speaker. Their hearts beat quickly as they each imagine finding the cure for Steve. This could save him.

Fury doesn't even attempt to beat around the bush. "Guaem is gone."

"_What_?"

"You've got to be shitting me."

"Where is he? How?"

"Shit." Tony's immediate reaction is to go check on Steve. He doesn't have to say why he leaves the phone with Clint to head for the elevator. They already know.

"To answer you in order: Yes, he's gone. No I am most certainly not shitting you. And we're unsure of his location at this moment. He could be out of the city or he could be two blocks from you," Fury answers. His voice is tight but controlled. This is obviously a blow to his ego and he wants Guaem back just as much as they do. "It appears an intern who has been working here for 2 months is a double agent. Guaem had the foresight to plant her here and while she didn't have access to privileged information, only being an intern, she did have clearance around the building.

We were set up. She snuck him out of his room and armed him. There were no casualties but we have a few injured men. I thought I should warn you since we found notes in his holding cell that likely pertain to Steve."

Bruce massages his temples as he tries to lower his heart rate through breathing exercise. He's not going to "Hulk Out" per se but this isn't the time to become upset. He needs to think clearly. They all do, for that matter. He can see how tense everyone has suddenly become.

"Do we have admission to kill him if need be?" Natasha asks.

"The statement is to bring him in dead or alive. But remember he may be the only one who can help the Captain."

"If he comes looking for Steve he will find Mjolnir instead. He _will_ talk."

Clint lets this settle in the air for a moment before saying, "Can we get a description and name of his accomplice? It'd help."

"Her name is Xandria Brighton. Short black hair, five foot two, very unassuming and polite. She has no prior police record before this. Not even a traffic ticket. She was interning with the biology department and everyone who interacted with her said she was a nice woman. They don't know how this could have happened."

Something doesn't settle right with Clint. "Could she have been brainwashed somehow?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't put it past Guaem. But she willingly left with him or so it seems."

Bruce speaks up finally, "Tony has security everywhere. I'm sure he has J.A.R.V.I.S already looking out for Guaem. He isn't going to make it within five feet of the front desk without being recognized."

"I also have Ms. Brighton's under facial recognition," J.A.R.V.I.S adds. "If she comes you all will be put on notice."

"He has to make the first move," says Clint darkly. "And so we wait."

/

Tony is relieved to see Steve sleeping soundly in his bed. A heavy sigh escapes him as he quietly shuts the door behind him. He's not sure why he feels the need to stay by Steve's side for a while but it is a need. He has to see his friend still breathing - still safe - with his own two eyes. Updates on Guaem's position can wait until later.

He sits at the chair in front of Steve's desk and looks at all of the drawings Steve has made so far. He has to hold them near the candle to view them (Steve insisted he didn't want a night light). He can tell two of them are supposed to be Peggy. He's seen pictures of his first love before and although the six year old isn't sure who he's sketching now, Tony knows.

Surprisingly, Tony finds, _he's_ in a lot of these pictures. Standing at a table flipping through documents (Steve was shocked to see the computer technology at play). In his Iron Man suit although Steve only saw it once. It's touching to see he's still his best friend even if he doesn't recall their previous friendship.

"Mr. Stark?" A tired, young voice says in the dark.

"My dad isn't here right now but you can talk to me if you want."

Steve rubs his eyes. "Is it six already?"

"I would never be up at such an absurd hour," scoffs Tony. He knows Steve likes to be up quite early but that early? What did a kid in 1926 have to do at six in the morning, toss stones into a river?

"Where is your father?"

"Dead." Tony is quick to answer.

He thought his tone left this path of discussion closed but Steve still asks, "Do you miss your father too?"

Tony thinks of all of the times his father wasn't there. A lot of lonely nights and missed events. Sometimes it wasn't even work, it was spending it with women who weren't his mom. When he was around he was pretty distant. Tony never really got the impression of a fun, good man that Steve seemed to think he was. It was good to hear him from another point of view though.

Instead of getting into his own complicated history Tony says, "I take it you miss your dad a lot. Did you get along okay?"

There's such a long pause that he wonders if he'd said something wrong. He always assumed a well adjusted, patriotic man had a good relationship with his father. Tony is about to say something when there's a rustle of blankets as Steve lies back down to curl up on his side.

"He was drunk a lot. Mother said he died 'cause of it." A pause. "He just slept a lot. It made mother sad so I'd try to make her happy. She's sad a lot now because he's gone."

_Using present tense. He's still not used to being in this time. Then again I wouldn't be used to it in such a short time either._

"I'm sure you always made her happy."

"So why are you here Mr. Stark? Is something wrong? There's always somethin' going wrong 'round her isn't there."

Tony chuckles. "Good observation. But no, things are okay. I wanted to make sure you were alright. If everyone seems uptight tomorrow and follows you around don't make too much of a fuss."

"You guys are _always_ following me around," counters Steve. "I'm a big kid. I can take care of myself."

He smirks. "I'm sure you can. Maybe we need _you _around _us_ to feel safer."

"You're a funny bird Mr. Stark."

Thinking of Captain America Tony thoughtfully says, "I hope I'm an eagle."

"Female eagles are bigger than males though."

Now Tony is thinking of Pepper who he kind of misses right now. She's on a break to visit her family and he hasn't told her any updates of whats happening because he knows she'd come flying right back if she knew. He can imagine her saying "You'd kill a six year old within three days Tony I'm coming back". He'll drop the bomb on her when she returns in four days. Hopefully by then the wayward doctor will be captured and Steve be safe from outside forces.

Then there's only whats inside of Steve to be dealt with.

Tony wants to go rest in his room but he's still concerned about Guaem. The likelihood of him being able to break into Stark Tower is next to impossible. At least, Tony likes to think so. They've underestimated the doctor's intelligence a lot which appears to be their undoing. And when it comes to Steve's safety Tony isn't going to take it lightly.

"Hey Steve. Do you wanna switch rooms? It'd be closer to mine is all."

Steve sits up and swings his legs over the edge oft the bed. He's quiet for a moment as if he's really thinking about pros and cons.

All that comes out of him though is, "Is your room really big?"

"Have you seen anything in Stark Tower that's _small_? I don't do little, kid."

"Could I see it?" He sounds excited, yet nervous as though he's not sure if its impolite to ask.

"I'm an exhibitionist. Of course you can see my room. Just don't touch anything that looks breakable or might explode."

/

Tony introduces Steve to his new room down the hall from his. It's a guest room which has never been used because any guest Tony's had over has slept in his room (billionaire _playboy_ philanthropist indeed). It has more gadgets in it like a lamp and computer, and a queen sized bed instead of a twin, but Steve doesn't bat an eye at these things. He's steadily become used to the here and now.

He's very sleepy though, what with it being one in the morning now. He climbs on top of the bed with the intention of falling straight to sleep but Tony pulls down the covers so he can climb underneath them.

"Night Mr. Stark," says Steve with a yawn.

"Night buddy. If you've got any trouble just give me a holler, k?" Steve nods sleepily.

Tony lights a fresh candle before turning off the lights.

Looking at the tuft of blonde hair poking out from beneath the blankets Tony hopes this new day brings some good news because he isn't sure how much more bad news they can take.


	5. Chapter 4

/ **chapter four** /

In the subway system sits a man on a bench. He has his head down with his hoodie thrown over his face, darkening it so it remains unseen. Next to him is a woman with long brown hair sitting up straight, looking out ahead with a blank look. Unless you were to stare straight at her looking for pins you could never tell it is a fine wig. She isn't focusing on anything. Not that there are too many people here this late at night.

The woman checks her watch and says, "It's three on the dot, sir. He should be here any moment now."

Guaem doesn't look up at her. "We've got to catch a train soon to a different station. Can't stay still in one place for too long."

"No one has recognized us yet."

"No one is going to notice a plain woman and man. And I know we lost S.H.I.E.L.D a couple days ago. Bunch of idiots with high tech toys they have no idea how to use properly is what they are," he sneers. "Buuut just to be on the safe side I like to keep them guessing while hanging low for a while."

Silence falls on them once more. But they aren't entirely alone for long. A man wearing a suit and carrying a case comes down the station. He stops in front of them saying, "I don't know about you two but trains bug me."

"How so?" asks Guaem as he takes the case. He doesn't open it though, now is not the time.

"It'd be too easy to throw myself in front of one."

"I'd be down one more valuable man then, Craig. Can't afford to lose any more of you."

"I'm not too keen on getting caught is all I mean," he answers, tipping his hat towards Xandria politely. "I'll see you at some point then, yeah?"

"At some point."

He keeps walking and the two sit there until another train arrives. Time to keep moving on and out of sight.

/

"Steve! Lunch!"

"But Han Solo is gonna get put in carbonite, Mr. Stark! How is he getting outta it?"

Tony rolls his eyes and takes the controller to pause the movie until farther notice. "It's called a pause button kid, you'll be fine."

He didn't really think Steve would be much of a Star Wars fan, he had only put the movie in to distract him while the others had a meeting. Grown up Steve never really paid much attention to the TV unless it was news. He much preferred radio. But when Tony came back he was enthralled with the movie. Little Steve said it's because he likes Luke and Han Solo a lot. Tony teased him by saying its because of Princess Leia. He then became suddenly quiet with quickly spreading blush.

"Mr. Stark do you think I can go with you guys in your lab today?"

"What, with Bruce and me? But we're boring old guys. Wouldn't you rather watch Clint shoot an apple from five hundred feet away?"

As they join Thor and Natasha at the table, Steve says, "I wanna see what you guys did with my blood."

"I think Bruce used it all."

"All of it? There was a big tube of it." Steve sounds legitimately confused. He looks down at his lunch of an apple, grilled cheese & tomato soup. "Are you going to say prayers with me Ms. Romanoff?"

Natasha has gotten into the habit of saying prayers with him. She can tell it's helping him adjust to this new world and as long as she can help she will.

They eat their separate meals. Thor has a lot of meat stacked on his plate. By Steve's standards its a lot of food for one person to eat.

"Do you wish for a bite of meat?" Thor inquires, holding out a meaty leg of chicken.

The six year old gazes at the large pile of food. "You eat a lot."

"A warrior must keep up his strength. I require much protein. Fish fulfills this need quite well."

"I don't see any fish . . . "

"I believe it is beneath the two steaks."

Natasha snickers into her sandwich at Steve's expression.

Although on the surface things seem to be calm, underneath all this banter and smiles the Avengers are stewing in their own panic. There has been no word from Fury about Guaem's whereabouts. There's been no word from Guaem himself. The doctor seems to pride himself on evading capture and playing mind games. They've gone out themselves in doubles searching for him but he doesn't want to be found. There's one thing keeping them from losing it and it's that Steve's condition isn't getting worse. He isn't reducing in age (which Bruce thought could be a possibility) and he isn't growing grey. Steve is blissfully unaware of all these ongoings as he should be. He's no longer their courageous leader, instead he's a child who re-acts like a child. Albeit an odd one.

After lunch Tony leads the tiniest Avenger to his and Bruce's lab. Bruce is a little surprised to see Steve trailing behind him but says nothing of it.

Tony shrugs at his friend. "The kid is interested in science."

"Just be sure not to touch anything, Steve," Bruce addresses him. "There are a lot of chemicals in tubes which could hurt you if they break onto your skin."

"Don't they hurt you?"

Bruce holds up his gloved hands. "I wear gloves. Never handle chemicals without them."

Steve sits on a chair and is very patient watching them puts around. Tony isn't doing much of anything beside bothering Bruce. He's come to the conclusion this is how they always interact. Tony seems to like annoying everyone from time to time.

"You're not leaving soon right?"

"No. I'm technically working there from here. I'm getting reports on how the medicine is working. I only need to improve a few-"

"Boring." Tony gives an over dramatic yawn.

Bruce doesn't appreciate this reaction. "I don't think the lives of the villagers are boring, Tony."

"Boring because I know you'll save them," he responds nonchalantly. He doesn't pay attention to Bruce chewing his bottom lip, a nervous habit. He's never had someone have so much faith in him before.

Their discussion is interrupted when Steve asks from behind them, "Mr. Banner? What's your superpower?"

Tony quirks an eyebrow at the youngster. "God, Steve, you can't go around asking people what their super power is. Someone might get **angry**."

The scientist throws him a weary glance and takes off his glasses. He taps them against his thigh as he weighs how to answer this. Or if he should.

The boy looks worried. Apparently he hasn't picked up on Tony's brand of sarcasm yet and thinks Bruce is frustrated with him.

"Sorry Mr. Banner if I was rude. I just, well, Mr. Stark has his suit. Ms. Romanoff is a spy. Mr. Barton is an archer. And Mr. Thor is . . . odd. I know you're real smart but do you fight?"

"It's not something I'd do on purpose all the time," Bruce answers carefully. "But if someone very important or the Earth needs saving, well, The Other Guy comes out and fights. He's very large and green. This is very important though Steve: if you see him don't-"

"Don't try and play a game of cards with him. He cheats."

"Tony this isn't funny."

Tony fiddles with a pen in his hands. "Didn't say it was funny. Cheating is baaad. Never cheat, kiddo."

"Whos The Other Guy?"

"Someone you should avoid. But hopefully you'll never see him."

Steve can tell from the tone in the man's voice he sounds tense and sad. But mostly sad.

"I don't have to avoid you though right?"

"No," immediately says Tony, having a feeling Bruce would give a more depressing answer. "Dr. Banner wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was for scientific purposes. And even then he'd feel guilty about it. He likes feeling guilt he's some kind of masochist I don't know."

Bruce coughs loudly as a signal to his friend to keep his mouth shut.

"You should get that checked out by a doctor, doctor."

The boy can tell Bruce is trying not to smile. It's times like these, watching these two be friends, where he misses Bucky the most. He hasn't really made any friends his age here. He hasn't even gone to school. J.A.R.V.I.S has taught him some things but a robot isn't the same as human interaction. Steve doesn't say anything about this though. He's watched them leave in pairs, never saying where they're going, but he has a nagging feeling this has all to do with him.

/

At a different subway sits the pair again. It's four in the morning so they can have their conversation more openly then during the day, although their voices remain hushed. Other than a change of clothes their appearance is not so different.

"They're not going to let him out of there, sir. Craig's team has being surveying and no child has left or entered the building."

"We'll lure them all out with destruction of the city. Whoever does stay behind with Steve isn't going to get a pretty sight." Guaem's hands are clenched together, veins popping out as his anger grows. "I have to get my hands on him. From the information you gathered I can only do guesswork until I have him on a table."

"How do you plan to do your destruction? I thought a lot of your team has been locked up."

"There are others which can be convinced. Monsters who will do mayhem for me."

"I hope you have your suit readied in time." Xandria looks blankly at him. "What do you wish for me to do?"

"I think when the battle starts you're of no use to me any more. A liability really you're not trained to fight. And when my subjects outlive their usefulness they're exterminated," Guaem informs her bluntly. He knows it won't faze her. Atleast, not outwardly. A bit of her mind may have remained intact after all of this time but she won't be able to resist. Her mind is too weakened by the activation of his device.

"Should we catch to Manhattan now, sir?"

Guaem gives her a toothy grin. "Time to set things in motion."

/

Bruce isn't sure why the kid has taken such an interest in him today but it's unnerving him. It isn't that he's concerned he'll Hulk Out. Far from that. But why after their conversation does he still sit in the chair, following him around the lab with bright interest, even after Tony takes his leave? Adult Steve never paid too much attention to science and spent as little time in the lab as possible. Probably because it brought back too many memories of his change.

It's almost eight o' clock at night, and Steve is showing signs of being sleepy. His eyes are droopy and Bruce isn't hearing tiny bare feet hitting the tiles behind him.

"You need to go to bed Steve. You're tired," Bruce finally says.

He rubs at his eyes. "I dunno. I don't feel like sleepin'."

Bruce chuckles as he finishes jotting down a few notes. "All I've been doing is working. I'm not surprised you are falling asleep."

"I like watching you work. You gotta be real smart to do this stuff." There's a pause and a yawn. "My mother is a real hard worker too but it's usually making food."

"I'm certainly no cook."

"You missed lunch and dinner Mr. Banner. Mr. Thor said a warrior's gotta keep his strength up."

To tell the truth Bruce doesn't really pay much attention to his eating schedule. He really should considering the body can't run on fumes alone but he often loses track of time. Besides, when being in a series of small villages and towns is your life, where at times food is scarce you learn to go without a few meals.

"I'm not really a warrior," Bruce remarks.

"The Other Guy's gotta eat though, right?"

"He's fine. Believe me."

Steve doesn't wish to be rude but he's curious about this "Other Guy". He's heard about Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde but he never thought it could happen in real life. And he's not about to compare a real human being to a monster. In his eyes Mr. Banner is far from a monster. He's one of the nicest people Steve's ever met.

"I'll walk you to your room."

"Have you seen Mr. Stark's room? It's huge."

"Tony does like to take up a lot of space."

Bruce ends up being the one saying prayers with Steve tonight. On the way to his room they ran into Tony who said she's out with Clint. They don't say what for but Steve is pretty sure its that thing again they're not telling him about.

As he's being tucked into bed Steve asks, "Mr. Banner, why are you guys taking care of me?"

Bruce spreads the blanket out on top of him so it isn't all crumpled up before he answers. He doesn't often get to be around children but when he is, the parental side which never got to be comes out. He sits on the edge of the bed.

"You're our friend."

"I don't remember you guys before I woke up in that . . . room."

"You see us as friends, right?" He sounds slightly concerned as though Steve will say no.

"Well yeah! I'm really thankful too."

Bruce smiles. "I bet you are. So are you ready to go to sleep or do you want to hear a bed time story first?"

"What kinda story?"

"It's a bed time story from Malaysia called 'Story of Mouse Deer and Crocodile'. Buaya means crocodile in their language."

Before Bruce can even finish the story, Steve has drifted off to sleep.


End file.
